Best Street Nominees: A Closer Look

With the TransWorld SKATEboarding Awards presented by New Era popping off tonight(!), we compiled a closer look at the nominees' 2011 year to give you some insight on why they got the nod from the TransWorld staff (and you, for the New Era Readers' Choice Award). Read on.

Words by Mackenzie Eisenhour

Best Street Nominee: Dennis Busenitz

Frontside nosegrind pop in. Photo: MORFORD

Best Street is everything that happens outside the arena—and in Dennis' case, preferably in no-push, three-trick lines across 3rd and Army or in a leather jacket bombing a sandpaper-rough San Francisco hill. See the aforementioned last part in Since Day One for any further clarification.

Best Street Nominee: Nyjah Huston

360 flip. Photo: GABERMAN

Nyjah's video-game-level stair counts, massive drops, rails, and hubbas in Rise & Shine outright changed the parameters of skateboarding—joining the likes of Pat Duffy, Mark Gonzales, Jeremy Wray, and the rest to redefine the possibilities of "big" on the streets.

Best Street Nominee: Brandon Westgate

Frontside lipslide. Photo: CRONAN

On the heels of 2010's Stay Gold, Westgate went on an absolute bump-to-bar, downhill, up-rail and raw street rampage this past January 15 when Emerica uploaded a full new part to coincide with the release of his first pro shoe. His B-Side footy part for Stay Gold also dropped in May.

The winners will be announced tonight in Hollywood, California. Follow us @transworldskate on Twitter/Instagram for up-to-the-minute news and photos.